Dubai Airshow 2025: GA-ASI’s MQ-9B racks up new milestones with AEW demo planned
GA-ASI’s MQ-9B has several procurement contracts across Europe, including with Belgium and Poland. (Photo: GA-ASI)
The company announced its demonstration timeline while confirming the MQ-9B had completed the platform’s third lifetime test.
GA-ASI has progressed its efforts to bring airborne early warning (AEW) capability to its MQ-9B, as the company, along with Saab, announced it will demonstrate the mission kit in mid-2026.
The AEW system consists of three pods – a centre-line pod and two pods on each of the wings – GA-ASI senior director strategic communications and marketing C Mark Brinkley outlined to Shephard at the Dubai Airshow.
“It’s a natural fit,” Brinkley said, in reference to the partnership between Saab and GA-ASI. “I think we all understand that airborne early warning is a mission tailor-made for unmanned systems.”
According to GA-ASI, the AEW solution
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal]()
V-22 Osprey safety upgrade moves towards wider fleet installation under $35.5 million deal
Bell Boeing will supply 73 additional ODSSHI kits as NAVAIR prepares to introduce predictive drive-system monitoring across US and Japanese V-22 fleets.
-
![India’s rotary-wing capability gap grows as IMRH programme delays persist]()
India’s rotary-wing capability gap grows as IMRH programme delays persist
With IMRH and DBMRH potentially years from service, India faces a widening rotary-wing capability gap that could drive further foreign purchases even as HAL and Safran build the foundations of an indigenous successor.
-
![AFA 2026: Swarm Aero eyes 2027 Gamera flight as Textron/Merlin reveal SkyCourier UX]()
AFA 2026: Swarm Aero eyes 2027 Gamera flight as Textron/Merlin reveal SkyCourier UX
Two new uncrewed aircraft concepts target very different US military requirements, from massed long-range strike to autonomous logistics. Shephard spoke with executives from Swarm Aero, Textron Aviation and Merlin Labs at this year's AFA Air, Space & Cyber conference to learn more about their capabilities.
